Abstract

Teaching Indigenous knowledge in school programs in the Northern Territory has a long history. Its significance to students and communities and in achieving school and community outcomes has been recognised in research (Batten et al. 1998; Devlin 2004; Silburn et al. 2011; Walton and Eggington 1990) and in policy (NTDE 1986; Northern Territory Government 2002). Indigenous educators and community members have consistently voiced their aspiration to teach their children their language and culture in schools (Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs 2012; Walton and Eggington 1990). Recent research has argued the value of Indigenous knowledge in learning beyond classrooms and to local development activity (Fogarty and Kral 2011). Despite this, Indigenous languages and knowledge remain contested and marginalised in remote education discourse and practice.

Still, schools have incorporated Indigenous knowledge in a range of ways; through the use of local pedagogy, first language instruction and vernacular literacy, and teaching cultural knowledge, such as kinship, land tenure and ecological knowledge, in particular recently, in Caring for Country type initiatives (Fogarty 2012). In schools with bilingual programs, educators and community members worked to formalise local cultural content and pedagogy, resulting in programs such as the Galtha Rom and Ganma created at Yirrkala School and Dhanarangala Murrurinydji Gaywanagal, later Gattjirrk at Milingimbi School (Marika-Munggiritji & Christie 1995; Marika 1999; Ngurruwutthun 1991).

In the Warlpiri schools in Central Australia - Yuendumu, Lajamanu, Willowra and Nyirrpi - work began on a Warlpiri curriculum in the early 1980s, and culminated in the 1990s in the Warlpiri Theme Cycle, a thematic program for primary and post primary Warlpiri students (Disbray 2014). In its structure and themes, the Cycle sets out domains of knowledge, language and pedagogy Warlpiri people have identified as necessary for an education for Warlpiri students.

This paper situates the Warlpiri Theme Cycle in the context of Indigenous knowledge programs in schools, and explores its content and development. The Theme Cycle reflects a local knowledge system at various levels: in its taxonomy and temporal nature, but also in the very development and ongoing use of this curriculum. These involve intergenerational knowledge transmission and transformation among Warlpiri adults, as knowledge is articulated, restated and systemised into a teaching and learning program. This knowledge shaping is set in a Two-Way cross-cultural education setting, where skilful interweaving of local knowledge with the non-local science, maths and social science, along with language and literacy curriculum outcomes has taken place.

The paper also looks to the future for the Warlpiri Theme Cycle and the role of Warlpiri knowledge in schools. There are supporting moves such as the development of an on-line database for the Warlpiri Theme Cycle and potential opportunities, such as the introduction of the Australian Curriculum, Australian Languages and links made to other programs, such as the Caring for Country enterprises and new models such as Red Dirt Curriculum (Guenther and Bat 2013). However, there is significant opposition and uncertainty for the future, in particular the latest NT review of Indigenous Education (Wilson 2014).

Samanatha Disbray is a Senior Research Fellow at Charles Darwin University.

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